Childhood Obesity in the State of Missouri: A Review for Providers to Counsel and Treat Patients.

: Childhood obesity is a common disease both nationally and in the state of Missouri. Obesity in childhood is often under-recognized and is difficult to treat. Screening, accurate diagnosis, and counseling is imperative to proper management. Common barriers to treatment include a lack of accurate identification and a lack of awareness of needed and available treatments of this disease in the pediatric setting. This review article highlights behavioral measures as well as pharmacologic and surgical therapies for obesity in children. This review is intended as guidance for providers to properly counsel and treat patients with this disease.